Swati Shetty, who has headed Indian content operations at Netflix is to step down from the global streaming giant. She joined the streamer in August 2016 as director of international originals and acquisitions.
The company said it is placing more emphasis on India and that the role should ideally be fulfilled form Mumbai, rather than Los Angeles, where she is currently based. “It’s a pity she doesn’t want to move back to India,” a Netflix spokesman told Variety.
Netflix has boosted its original content production in India of late. At a recent presentation in Singapore, it revealed Goa-set haunted house drama “Typewriter” as its most recently greenlighted series.
The company is now readying cricket-themed drama “Selection Day,” for a Dec. 28 release. It is also preparing a series adaptation of the “Baahubali” film and book franchise, and female empowerment story “Leila.” Emraan Hashmi is set as the lead of “Bard of Blood,” a political thriller produced by Red Chillies Entertainment, the production label of Indian superstar Shah Rukh Khan.
Netflix’s highest profile Indian series “Sacred Games,” which is now in second season, was set up before Shetty joined the company.
Prior to signing up for Netflix, Shetty’s was founder and director of Samosa Stories Entertainment, during which time she produced “Umrika” that won the audience award in the world cinema – dramatic category at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. Previously, she was president, motion pictures at Balaji Telefilms where she oversaw the hit “The Dirty Picture,” and was executive director at Walt Disney International Productions India.